United win Premiership title

2009-05-16 15:46

London - Manchester United clinched their third successive English Premiership title on Saturday after a 0-0 draw against Arsenal at Old Trafford.

Sir Alex Ferguson's side were well below their best in a surprisingly subdued encounter but the point was all they needed to end Liverpool's challenge and win the English title for the 18th time - equalling the record set by the Anfield club in 1990.

United, who also have the Champions League final against Barcelona on May 27 to look forward to, have now won the Premier League 11 times in 17 seasons and will become the first English top-flight team to lift the title in four successive campaigns if they add another crown next season.

Arsenal arrived at Old Trafford resigned to finishing outside the top three for the third time in four seasons and without any silverware since winning the FA Cup in 2005.

They started the penultimate league game of the season 18 points behind the leaders after an inconsistent season in which they had reached the Champions League semi-final only to lose 4-1 on aggregate to United.

Yet Arsene Wenger's side were clearly intent on spoiling the party as they subjected a nervous United to several anxious moments during a goalless first half.

Robin van Persie, who was totally unmarked and eight yards out, spurned a glorious chance to put the visitors into the lead when he headed Sami Nasri's 13th minute cross over the bar when it would have been easier to score.

It was an incredible let off for United and they almost made the visitors pay four minutes later, Wayne Rooney heading Michael Carrick's inch-perfect cross narrowly wide.

This was anything but a vintage performance from a United team which has dominated the Premier League during the second half of the season.

Despite being cheered on by Jamaica's Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt, the hosts found it hard to make the running.

There were more signs of nerves when Nemanja Vidic and Edwin van der Sar got in one another's way while trying to defend a free kick before a header by the dangerous van Persie was saved by van der Sar in the closing moments of the first half.

Arsenal continued to chip away at the United defence after the break, young full-back Kieran Gibbs rifling a 58th minute effort into the side netting after a patient build up involving Barcary Sagna and Andrei Arshavin.

United responded through Cristiano Ronaldo but United's 26-goal leading scorer fired woefully over the bar after good work by Carlos Tevez.

That was Tevez's last action. Moments later the Argentina international was substituted to the displeasure of United fans who jeered the decision.

Tevez, whose two-year loan expires in the summer, had hardly set the game alight yet United continued to struggle without the South American.

Ronaldo went close with a trademark dipping free-kick before Van der Sar came to United's rescue with a stunning late save in a dramatic finish.

The United keeper got the slightest of touches on a fierce shot from Cesc Fabregas before it hammered the outside of the post. It was a huge wake up call for United but within five minutes the party was underway.

Referee Mike Dean's final whistle saw a grey suited Ferguson rush on to the pitch to congratulate his players. "Are you watching Merseyside" bellowed from the stands after Liverpool's hopes of catching United finally vanished.

Major managerial honours won by Alex Ferguson after his Manchester United side won the Premier League title on Saturday.

Ferguson can add a third Champions League success to his list when Manchester United meet Barcelona in the final of this season's competition in Rome on May 27.

Comments

Anonymous User - 2009-05-16 16:21

haha! now lets see hwat loserfools gta say

sharief - 2009-05-16 16:26

We are the champions

Recato Cristiano Eberwein - 2009-05-16 17:01

Well done to the boys. Great achievement. From the Prince of Portugal, Wayne Rooney, van der Sar to Giggs and co. will go down in folklore as the best team and players ever.
I only support winners. So a great honor to be a fan of Manchester United. My choice of winners also happens to be the rulling Party. All bow down to Comrade President Jacob Zuma. Amandla!

Drakkar - 2009-05-16 17:08

United forever!!!!! Now let's sit back and hear the loserfool whines, moans, excuses etc.. I just love the fact that they will be sulking for yet another year. Almost 20 years is a long time to be losers, so I expect the anal-field faithful will have all the experience to garner from when they b*&^h again. They must be getting used to the taste of Manure... LOL!!!!

dangeroug - 2009-05-16 19:58

Well done ManU from a LIVERPOOL supporter! You have EQUALLED LIVERPOOLs record of League/Premiership wins.Here's to a very good next season.The team you could not beat at home or away will be there to make it interesting....you know it! ;-)

sesh - 2009-05-16 20:29

does rafa still thinx his side has a chance? Man Utd for life.....!

Anonymous User - 2009-05-16 21:40

U go fergie, u have seperated the men from the boys.

Anonymous User - 2009-05-16 23:28

so awesome to support a team like Man Utd!!!

Bob - 2009-05-17 03:45

lol. ManUre fans are so predictable. Were you not so blind you would see that the team that came second played the better football, with a smaller, cheaper squad that relied on a partnership that only started the same game 12 times the entire season. We have no excuses - we need none. We know what happened. United won the games that mattered while Liverpool could only draw. While Liverpool were thrashing their opponents in the latter half of the season, United struggled to win their games, and with Ronaldo leaving everyone can see the party is almost over. So, yeah. Enjoy it while it lasts. For me the irony is how riled up you bunch have become over a team that has struggled to make the top 4 for the last decade. Thank you for the compliment!

Man4Life - 2009-05-17 16:40

Congratulations to ManU.....I remember awhile back rafa benitez read out a few facts from his dear john dairies.....It was something like liverpool is the best and will be the best at the end of the season and he actually called all of that, facts....
Here's a few facts, We gave you 6 pionts and we still took the league with a game left to play, so the fact in here is that we didnt even need play 38 games to win the silverware.
No longer can liverpool say that they hold the most english titles, in fact we hold the most English Premiership titles and they hold the most first division titles. ManU is the most successful club in modern football....
Next season will show that ManU is still the greatest team to walk on to a soccerfield in the times when cellphones were invented...
O and here's a free lesson to rafa and the liverpool supporters....If you want to win the league, you must do the following.....focus on how many teams you beat not who you beat.....My blood is Red....

SirGibbs - 2009-05-17 16:55

@Bob...open your eyes dude. Liverpool got lucky in most of those draws, scoring in injury time. How that makes you a better team only you know...

ACEE - 2009-05-17 17:39

DANGEROUG, THANX FOR THOSE KIND WORDS BUT HOW MANY TIMES DID LIVERPOOL WIN THE PREMIERSHIP ?

Strike - 2009-05-17 18:21

OOPS!!!! We did it again. To dangeroug i'm glad that you have a consoling fact until the end of the next season and that is that liverpool beat the Club Champions of the World, League Cup Champions and English PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS and you did it twice gr8 work but you still failed to win the league. Hey BOB if you need no excuses, what's your point.

OnlyMyOpinion - 2009-05-17 21:14

Rafa is in the wrong job. He should be a waiter(without any disrespect), he looks the part, and acts the part. He shouldn't be in charge of a top European football team, it's insult to all managers. His comments and gestures are outrageous, and his complete lack of respect. Man Utd must have enjoyed him renewing his contract after the 4-1 loss to Liverpool. The guy is a clown.

Bobby - 2009-05-18 08:55

I am not a Manchester United fan, but no-one can take away the fact that they are without a doubt the best club football team in the world. To those of you who query this fact; perhaps you should become involved in another sport. Its absurd and ridiculous that you are so stuck in your ways to think Liverpool is a better team right now? How? Accept defeat and eat your words! Ronaldo is a bitch though :-) Fergie made him what he is today, yet the probability that he will abandon Man United is disgusting...

Identico - 2009-05-18 09:06

Dear BOB. It is so amazing how you will still make excuses for not winning the Premiership. Needless to say, you have taken home any silverware this season and the last time you had any silverware was back in 2006 when you beat West Ham United on penalties in the FA cup. Who really is the better team???? I think you know the answer. NUFF SAID!!!!!!! Manchester for life!!!!

Shankly's Kin - 2009-05-18 09:31

1st of all - CONGRATULATIONS to United - 08/09 Premiership Champions. I gracefully take my hat off to guys, even though it hurts as Scouser. As I've said before, the league table doesn't lie. So there's nothing about "ifs" and "buts". You guys won it, and that's that. I cannot fault my team on the guts and determination they've shown this season. And though there's no silverware, progress has been made, and I'm sure it'll continue. To all impatient Pool fans, keep your cool. Rome was not built in a day. Fergie can attest to that. The Rafalution will continue. He is the one who will land us that title. No doubt about that. If King Kenny and Rush believes that, then I do to. Keep the faith guys. Walk on.

United Fan - 2009-05-18 09:34

Bob Bob Bob, if you have no excuses, why have you got so much to say.
At the end of the day United had won more games, have more points and are the CHAMPIONS for this season. Should have and what if don't count right now, the team played like champions and deserve to win. They had their set-back, but picked themselves up and are now the champions. So remember, when you beat the best team in the game 4-1 it doesn't mean that you won the championship, it only means that you won that game. Whoever holds the trophy at the end of the season is the best team.

STILL on perch - 2009-05-18 10:04

WELL DONE to ManUre, from a Liverpool fan. We look forward to the fight again come August ! The race for number 19 will be awesome ! Dangerdoug / Bob - relax boys. We may not have any silverware this season, but let the ManUre fans enjoy their moment. We have proved all the critics wrong already by being just 4 points behind going into the last game of the seaon. To think, UTD were 7 points clear, WITH a game in hand AND goal difference of +11, and we could finish just 4 points behind & with a goal difference of +5 ! They were the ones scraping results at the end while we HAMMERED all our opposition & played the more attractive footie. Might be irrespective now, but point is that they are feeling the pressure. WELL DONE again Man Utd. And as for the 20 year jokes, you guy's must be used to them. Afterall, it took Fergie 7 years to win his 1st title & it took ManUre 26, yes TWENTY SIX year to win the title again !

Shaheen - 2009-05-18 10:23

United thoroughly deserves to be crowned Premiership Champions of 08/09. Credit to Liverpool for not giving up and pushing United all the way to the penultimate week. It was thought that the title would have been sewn up by April, but again credit where it's due and Liverpool should build on this season and that all depends on the players their manager will land in the English summer. But don't get me wrong. The satisfaction of drawing level with Liverpool on 18 league titles cannot be described in words. This is a feat that I felt would never be seen in my lifetime (not even Ferguson thought we'd come such a long way since capturing that illusive title after 26 years), drawing level on League titles, not necessarily just the 18, expected Liverpool to would have won more since 1990 to be honest. So to all the Premiership contenders United will not let down and we'll aim to surpass Liverpool and make that record our own. United now stand as the only team in English football history to have won 3 consecutive League Titles on 2 separate occasions. End of a great season in England and let us all celebrate our achievement, but there's more work to be done yet, and go where no other team has since the inception of the UEFA Champions League, and that's defend our European Crown. ONE UNITED!!!

Carlsberg - 2009-05-18 10:35

Well said Shankly! We don't have any excuses to make. Liverpool have shown a great fight throughout the season, and we can be proud of that. I believe Rafa will delivery the league as well. But to Man United well done, this was no easy title to win. There was pressure all the way, and even on saturday that could be seen.

STILL on perch - 2009-05-18 10:41

Well done & well said Shaheen. Most fly-by-night / Glory ManUre supporters could learn from a true UTD supporter like yourself !

One Love One Religion! Linzi - 2009-05-18 11:02

Stop being bitter Bob, we won fair and square.. Champions, FACT!

Anonymous User - 2009-05-18 11:19

You football fans are all pathetic. Get a life and watch a decent sport like rugby.

Anonymous User - 2009-05-18 11:37

I'm a huge fan of Man Utd and have been for many years ,A big thank you especially to Liverpool for making this season exciting and pushing Man Utd to the wire...this has certainly been one of the most exciting seasons of all times.I can truly say that next season is going to be even more pressurising as the likes of Man City are going to go break onto their bank accounts to make big signings...People generally miss the point when it comes to sports...this should be di-stressing a person and not frustrating one another...it's good sports and the buck should stop there...Neither Fergie nor Rafa pays our bonds and cars.

Anonymous User - 2009-05-18 11:49

I'm a huge fan of Man Utd and have been for many years ,A big thank you especially to Liverpool for making this season exciting and pushing Man Utd to the wire...this has certainly been one of the most exciting seasons of all times.I can truly say that next season is going to be even more pressurising as the likes of Man City are going to go break onto their bank accounts to make big signings...People generally miss the point when it comes to sports...this should be di-stressing a person and not frustrating one another...it's good sports and the buck should stop there...Neither Fergie nor Rafa pays our bonds and cars.

Anonymous User - 2009-05-18 12:01

Hey Anonymous User you quoted the following
"You football fans are all pathetic. Get a life and watch a decent sport like rugby."
Fact: More money is spent on football (soccer) than was/is/ever will be spent on Rugby. The top earning footballers get paid more in a month than what the winner of the Super 14 will earn this year. So please realise that the levels of passion are directly proportional to the effort (money) spent on the game

Keith - 2009-05-18 12:09

It pains me to see someone such as Rafa behave the way he is. He is becoming an embarrasment, really! I'm a Man U supporter but am starting to feel really sorry for the Liverpool fans. He is behaving like a little child!! Everybody knows that winning the premiership takes a whole lot more than winning 2 games! What is he trying to get across? The man is an idiot. When Man U lost the title to Arsenal etc did anybody hear SAF going on like that? NO! He congratulated the winners and had no excuses. Cone on Rafa and certain other supporters - grow up!!

Drakkar - 2009-05-18 12:25

I see at the bottom of this story all the achievements of Sir Alex Ferguson are listed...... pretty impressive, but surely they could have spared an extra line (maybe two) for Rafa's achievements as well. After all, he is such the expert who can critisize Ferguson and then is too much of a sore loser to congratulate him on yet another success. Typical! I made quite a bit of money out of Loserfool fans this year.... same as the past few years. Become a bit of guaranteed income for me. And the anal-field losers will keep coming off second best.... like it or not

Anonymous User - 2009-05-18 12:34

Rafa already congratulated Man Utd, so what's the problem ? He didn't congratulate Fergie personally, but after all the comments made his way, why should he congratulate him ?

Jay - 2009-05-18 13:16

GLORY GLORY! Congrats the the English, European and World Champions! Truly the greatest club in the world at the moment! Thanks to Pool for making it exciting - however
Will somebody please as k Benitez to grow the hell up? The spanish waiter is ridiculous. He acts like a kid and I actually feel sorry for Pool fans.

Anonymous User - 2009-05-18 13:18

Anonymous @ 12:01pm - who cares about who spends more money. The way you guys carry on about Liverpool and Man U is like listening to 2 kids arguing over who hit who first. Again you are as pathetic as Ronaldo is when he dives and rolls around like he has broken his leg when in fact he wasn't touched.

ABEL MASANGO - 2009-05-18 15:14

Man Utd deserve the Title coz they were outstanding this season.Next season it will be Chealse`s season.Watch this space!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

UMTESHI - 2009-05-19 06:24

CONGRATS 2 ManUtd. n 2 all da other Sigter`s. I suppose now these Sigter`s will now wish that disaster befall ManUtd in da ChampionsLeague
Final in Rome. So that these Sigter`s can have something to comment on, as they cannot comment on ManUtd`s success.

Anonymous User - 2009-05-19 10:44

@ Anonymous User 5/18/2009 1:18 PM: the point I was making is that if you check out the comments on the rugby stories and you listen to the (what seems to me like senseless) banter between Bulls/Sharks/Stormers supporters (heck you don't even have to check the comments out in News24 just listen to your colleagues at work and see). Now take that and multiply it by 100 - that is what you are witnessing here right now - soccer is much more widely supported than rugby is. If you don't like soccer then don't read the columns
p.s. Something must keep you from coming back to this section so don't complain just sit back and entertain yourself - I do!

This man "Sir" Alex is amazing, check out his record on the article, I never knew he was so good man, amazing isn't? I heard maybe we will have a "Sir" Rafter one of these days in the future. Really wonderful game this football is.

Anonymous User - 2009-05-21 11:12

Yeah, he is SO great it took him SEVEN years to win his first title. In 23 years he has only managed 3 European Cup Finals ? Rafa, in 5 years, has already taken the Reds to 2 ! He also beat Fergie to 100 league game wins, 213 VS 181. Fergie has done "ok" considering HOW LONG he has been at Old Toilet, nothing more. Only UTD fans with blinkers think otherwise.

Anonymous User - 2009-05-22 09:25

Liverpool supporters must practice what they preach and remove their own blinkers. Ferguson took longer than Rafa, because he had to build a team that hadn't won much, or just a FA cup. Rafa inherited a good team. that just won the "treble" under Gerard Houllier, so the rationale they use to promote Rafa in comparision is weird. Fergie's done brilliant things, he won the treble with a side primarily made up youngsters from the academy, Beckam, Scholes, Gary Neville, Phillip Neville, Ryan Giggs, who have been the heart of that team, this after the pundit Alan Hansen had said, "you'll never win anything with kids". But whatever one says, Liverpool supporters will never admit to the facts. Rafa is already at it with R8m for a Croatian winger, Pranjic. When the season starts he would have bought about +/- 8 players as usual, Fergie will bring in one/two more, and win the league again as usual. Fergie is pure class, but maybe Rafa may get there one day, for now he must play second fiddle.